What is ALTCS? Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS)

With the start of the new year, we wanted to get back to some of the basics. We thought it might be helpful to give a brief overview of the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS; pronounced all-tex). ALTCS is Arizona’s Medicaid program that provides long-term care services for individuals who are elderly, disabled, or [...]

2025-02-12T21:11:12+00:00February 12th, 2025|Tags: |

Program Contractors

People are often confused as to the roles that different organizations and people play in the ALTCS process even after benefits are approved. The most confusing of these is the roles of the program contractors. Program contractors are the organizations that manage and provide services to ALTCS members. Here’s a bit as to how they [...]

2025-02-14T17:59:28+00:00February 12th, 2025|Tags: |

Medical Eligibility

Medical Eligibility is the cornerstone of Planning as well achieving ALTCS benefits. It does not matter what a client has or what they have done if they do not medically qualify. Right now the majority of denials from ALCTS (about 70%) are coming from clients failing to qualify medically for benefits. The tool the state [...]

2025-02-12T20:54:47+00:00February 12th, 2025|Tags: , |

ALTCS and Hospice: They each have a roll to play

The Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) and hospice care serve different purposes, but it's possible for an individual to be eligible for both depending on their health needs. ALTCS is a Medicaid program in Arizona that provides long-term care services for individuals who are elderly, physically disabled, or have chronic health conditions. It covers [...]

2025-02-12T20:52:36+00:00February 12th, 2025|Tags: , |

Sometimes a little help is all that’s needed…

Most people have limited or no experience with ALTCS. The ALTCS application process stuns many due to its incredible bureaucratic nature and volume. The amount of information ALTCS requires overwhelms many, which often leads to paralysis and the feeling that obtaining benefits will be too hard. This paralysis causes a disproportionate number of denials for [...]

2025-02-12T20:53:36+00:00February 12th, 2025|Tags: |

Key Terms and Numbers 2021

AHCCCS: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. The agency tasked with managing several public health care programs here in Arizona. ALTCS: The Arizona Long Term Care System. Arizona’s Medicaid Program. 300% of the Federal Benefit Rate (or FBR): The Single person income limit for ALTCS without having to create a “Millers Trust” (Also known as an Income Only [...]

2021-11-23T21:58:55+00:00May 28th, 2021|

ALTCS Medical Eligibility for ages 65 and over

Medical Eligibility is the cornerstone from which eligibility for ALTCS is based. If a person is not medically eligible then regardless of their compliance to the other consonants of eligibility the applicant will be denied benefits. As a planner, Medical Eligibility is the one area I have little ability to directly impact. A person is [...]

2021-11-23T21:58:55+00:00September 9th, 2018|

ALTCS & Living Arrangements

While you might intuitively think that living arrangements refers to a locations' ability to provide the necessary levels of care for the potential recipient, that would be incorrect. The State takes for granted that the living arrangement will be appropriate to the needs of the individual. Living arrangements fall into two basic categories. Either the [...]

2021-11-23T21:58:55+00:00September 7th, 2018|

Common Pitfalls in Medicaid Planning

Is the income for a single individual applying for benefits more than $2,250? Are the assets for a single individual applying for benefits greater than $2,000? If the applicant is married, is their individual income more than $2,250 and their joint income greater than $4,500? If the applicant is married, is their joint assets or [...]

2021-11-23T21:58:56+00:00August 30th, 2018|